I’ve summarized the game briefly, but you can find out more in our Catan Settlers of America guide. It’s important to note that players score region bonus points for each of their distinct networks (group of connected trains) so it can be beneficial for players to connect their routes into a single network to maximize the points they’ll score for this bonus. Red has two distinct networks (five different regions connected in each) that would score 1 point for each network. However, if they connected Pisa to Firenze then they would have one network with nine different regions and score 11 points instead. This is an essential strategy because you’ll lose points for any routes you haven’t completed! End of the Game Now it’s time to compare routes. The player with the longest continual path receives a bonus of ten points (in the event of a tie, both players win ten points). Then, shuffle the train cards and give four to each player. The rest of the cards should be placed near the board, with the top five turned face-up. Taking a Turn

As the name might suggest, players will be building railroads in mainland Japan. This sounds like the original, but in this case, your railroads are going to be built to withstand the breath-taking speed of the world famous Bullet Train. Every gray, uncoloured route on the Italy map is a ferry route and features at least one wave symbol to represent this. Note the wave symbol on the gray routes that feature between one and four symbols per route.From the vast beauty of Mount Fuji to the bustling streets of Tokyo, Japan has captured the hearts and minds of millions. I love immersing myself in this small island nation’s rich culture and history, and I know I’m not alone in my enthusiasm for all things Japan.

The Bullet Train Bonus awards points depending on each player’s contribution to the network. In a five-player game: After all, railways are Japan’s primary method of passenger transport. There are bullet trains (these are seriously fast; I still can’t quite comprehend them) and complex subway systems keeping vibrant metropolitan areas connected.

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Ferry cards are double-sided so, unlike a Locomotive for example, there’s no hiding whether you have one. Also, a player can never have more than two Ferry cards in their hand; if you already have two, you can’t choose this action on your turn. Coats of Arms and End-Game Scoring No matter how eager you are to build an impressive network of routes, you can only claim one per turn. This can be frustrating when you’re in a strong position and could claim multiple routes, but ultimately I think players should be encouraged to pace themselves. If you run out of Bullet Train miniatures – it’s rare, but it happens – all unclaimed routes become standard gray routes. Tokyo Subway and Kyushu Island On the reverse side of the board, you can play in Italy. There’s many coloured regions on this map. Players score ever-increasing bonus points if they build networks that connect multiple regions. There’s also plenty of ferry routes available (grey routes). All ferry routes have spaces that comprise of 1-4 ‘wave’ symbols. To complete a ferry route, you need to pay in Locomotive (wild) card for every wave symbol. Or, you can pay a ferry card, which you can draft separate to regular train cards. Another difference you should be aware of is that, on the map, you will see two regions – Kyushu Island and Tokyo subway – which are zoomed in. These can be claimed as per the regular rules.

Each city has the name of the region it belongs to and the region’s coat of arms next to its name. For each different region a player connects, they score points based on the table pictured above. Green scores 1 point for connecting 5 different regions (note the X by Bari doesn’t count because this player already scored for this region with Foggia). This can be confusing, but you must remember that a route leading to Kokura or Tokyo on the main board is connected to all routes going to the same city on the zoomed-in part of the board. Let’s first look at how the “Claim a route” action changes and then the Ferry cards will make a little more sense.Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: “isn’t that a little boring? We’re supposed to be competing against one another!”

I’m sure you know the drill by now: to claim one of these routes, you need to play as many cards of the same color as the number of spaces in the route. Never fear; there’s still a competitive element to all of this because, at the end of the game, the players who contributed most to the network will win the biggest reward. The cards you play when claiming a route must be the same type, and the number of cards should also equal the number of spaces in that route. If there is a tie, affected players earn points for their position; the next player earns points from the position as if there were no tie. How to Play Don’t forget to move your scoring marker when you claim a new route (as if you need reminding)! Drawing Train Car Cards